The present invention relates to a process for the production of organic compounds of the group of aldehydes and ketones. In particular, it relates to the production of aldehydes or ketones from olefins by treatment thereof with an oxidising agent.
It is known fact that methylketones can be obtained by the oxidation of terminal olefins with molecular oxygen in the presence of cationic complexes of rhodium III used as catalysts (JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR CATALYSIS, Vol. 7, January, 1980, Lausanne, H. Mimoun "The Role of Peroxymetallation in Selective Oxidative Processes", page 1 to 29, *page 12 and 13*).
For the production of methylketones, it has also been proposed to selectively oxidise the terminal olefins with palladium II tertiary butyl peroxide carboxylates (AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 102, n.degree. 3, 30 January 1980, Washington D.C., H. Mimoun, R. Charpentier, A. Mitschler, J. Fischer and R. Weiss "Palladium II tert-Butyl Peroxide Carboxylates. New reagents for the Selective Oxidation of Terminal Olefins to Methyl Ketones. On the Role of Peroxymetallation in Selective Oxidative Processes", page 1047 to 1054, *page 1048 and 1049*).
However, these well known processes do not make it possible to obtain aldehydes or ketones other than those belonging to the class of methylketones. Moreover, these have the disadvantage of requiring an anhydrous medium; otherwise, the reaction is inhibited or else metal precipitation occurs. The rhodium complexes also require the presence of an alcohol in the reaction medium.
It is also known that oxidative splitting of the C.dbd.C double bonds of the olefins can be effected by means of ruthenium tetroxide to give carbonyl derivatives (W. S. Trahanocsky "Oxidation in Organic Chemistry, part B, 1973, ACADEMIC PRESS, New York, page 177 to 227: D. G. Lee and M. Van Den Engh, "Oxidation by Ruthenium Tetroxide" *page 186 to 192*).
However, this known process has the disadvantage of giving poor selectivity: all the different types of carbonyl derivatives (aldehydes, ketones and acids) are produced together and in mixture with products from concurrent reactions not involving the cleavage of the double bond (diols).